[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 43 (Friday, March 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 10658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5490]



[[Page 10658]]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6238-5]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Personal Exposure of High-Risk Subpopulations 
to Particles

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that the following Information 
Collection Request (ICR) has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Personal Exposure of High-
Risk Subpopulations to Particles; EPA ICR Number 1887.01. The ICR 
describes the nature of the information collection and its expected 
burden and cost; where appropriate, it includes the actual data 
collection instrument.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 5, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Sandy Farmer at EPA by phone 
at (202) 260-2740, by email at [email protected], or 
download off the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/icr and refer to EPA 
ICR Number 1887.01.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Personal Exposure of High-Risk Subpopulations to Particles; 
EPA ICR Number 1887.01. This is a new collection.
    Abstract: The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) of the 
Office of Research and Development (ORD) at EPA is funding four studies 
of personal exposure of high-risk subpopulations to particles and 
associated gases. The studies, which have been recommended by the 
National Academy of Sciences (NAS) under a directive from Congress, are 
considered necessary to support the proposed new National Ambient Air 
Quality Standard (NAAQS) for fine particles (PM2.5).
    Three of the studies are 3-year cooperative agreements with the 
following institutions: the Harvard School of Public Health, the New 
York University School of Medicine, and the University of Washington. 
The fourth study is an in-house study with contractual support. All 
four studies will employ the same questionnaire to supplement the 
collection of information on personal, indoor, and outdoor 
concentrations of the target pollutants. Subjects will be selected by 
physicians from among their patients with respiratory or cardiovascular 
disease. Participation will be entirely voluntary.
    The information will be used by scientists within ORD and external 
to the Agency to determine the relationship between personal exposure, 
indoor concentrations, and concentrations measured at a central 
monitoring site for one or more high-risk subpopulations, including 
particularly persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 
and persons with cardiovascular disease. The data will also be used by 
the EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards in their review of 
the basis for the proposed PM2.5 regulation. The information 
will appear in the form of final EPA reports, journal articles, and 
will also be made publicly available in an electronic data base.
    The cost of the four studies is expected to be $6M over a period of 
three years. Approximately 312 respondents will be included over the 
three-year period. There are no costs to the respondents. An incentive 
payment will be offered to defray burden.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's 
regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15. The 
Federal Register document required under 5 CFR 1320.8(d), soliciting 
comments on this collection of information was published on 12/15/98 
(63 FR 69073); no comments were received.
    Burden Statement: The annual public reporting and record keeping 
burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20.1 
hours per response. Burden means the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or 
disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This 
includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, 
install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of 
collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and 
maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; 
adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable 
instructions and requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to 
a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review 
the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the 
information.
    Respondents/Affected Entities: individuals that volunteer to 
participate in the study.
    Estimated Number of Annual Respondents: 104.
    Frequency of Response: varies/on occasion.
    Estimated Total Annual Hour Burden: 2,090 hours.
    Estimated Total Annualized Cost Burden: $0.00.
    Send comments on the Agency's need for this information, the 
accuracy of the provided burden estimates, and any suggested methods 
for minimizing respondent burden, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques to the following addresses. Please 
refer to the EPA ICR Number in any correspondence.

Ms. Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, OP Regulatory 
Information Division (2137), 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC 20460;
    and
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th Street, NW, 
Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: February 26, 1999.
Richard T. Westlund,
Acting Director, Regulatory Information Division.
[FR Doc. 99-5490 Filed 3-4-99; 8:45 am]
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